As an expectant mother, one of the most important ways to care for yourself and unborn baby is to simply eat healthy. Most people know this means eating nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables, avoiding raw or undercooked meats and going the organic route when possible. But few really give much thought to the prenatal vitamins needed to supplement mommy’s diet…before, during and after pregnancy. And yes, taking a supplement before pregnancy officially begins is just as important because a baby’s neural tube development which becomes the brain and spinal cord, develops during the first month of pregnancy!
So what should a rookie mom-to-be even consider when shopping around for a prenatal vitamin, if everything looks pretty nutrient-rich? Well, most prenatal vitamins include important components like calcium and folic acid, but what you really want to look for is something that includes DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid.
One such vitamin is BrainStrong Prenatal, which includes up to 75% more DHA than other leading over-the-counter prenatal vitamins!
Experts say that DHA is critical for optimal brain health and function in infants because it is a central component of the nervous system. New research even suggests that babies born to mothers with high levels of DHA are more likely to have advanced cognitive abilities and an increased attention span (aka smart babies!). And if a mother isn’t getting the adequate DHA from her food source, she needs to make sure it’s supplied in her vitamins!
What sets BrainStrong apart from the competition, is the fact that it comes from a natural vegetarian source, not fish as with other prenatal vitamins. This means you get the benefits of DHA without having to stress about the unknown pollutants and toxins potentially found in certain fish.
When I think back to the early days of my pregnancy, I regret not learning more about DHA — which wasn’t included in the prenatal vitamin I was taking at the time. I remember my doctor just handing me a prescription for prenatal vitamins and didn’t really talk too much about what was in it. If I only knew then what I know now, I would have been sure to look for DHA!
Luckily today as a nursing mother, I am armed with even more knowledge to make informative decisions when it comes to my child’s health…and am happy to see DHA included in my current choice of vitamins. And if you’re wondering…YES, DHA is still important for the ongoing growth and development of your little ones!
You can look for BrainStrong at your local pharmacy and see if it is right for you.
*Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.
So I’ve officially reached the 8-week postpartum mark in my birth recovery. It’s a bit of a milestone for a number of reasons. For starters, it’s the time I can resume a number of activities, including exercising lightly — something I’m thrilled to hear! I’ve been incredibly eager to shed some fat off of my belly and thighs — an issue I’ve never really had to worry about too much in my life until pregnancy happened (thankfully!). But, I just haven’t had the time to get into it…that with caring for a newborn and all. I barely have time to blog these days. I’m trying to start working out slowly, however. A yoga stretch here and there when I get a moment, before embarking on a serious workout routine.
! Can’t wait to watch him grow into the little gentlemen he will surely be!
. I was flooded with emotions knowing that I had to get a cesarean section — nervousness and fear filled my heart. I was hoping to avoid a c-section due to the complications involved and my lack of research (I was convinced a natural birth would be possible after hearing that the baby was head down and in labor position less than a month earlier).
By now I’m sure that most people have seen the movie trailer for one of the most renowned pregnancy resources out there — the “What to Expect When Your Expecting” #1 best-selling pregnancy book.
Entering seems fairly easy: just add one or more of the featured baby items to your registry. These include the Boppy feeding pillow, the Britax car seat, the Playtex Diaper Genie and Playtex bottles, just to name a few. Sounds like pretty clever marketing to me.
With the final stretch before my due date approaching, reality is beginning to hit me. In just two short weeks, I will be full-term and know that now, baby can actually come at any moment.
Over the past week, I’ve definitely noticed a drastic change in my energy level, as I grow closer and closer to the full-term mark of my pregnancy. The watermelon in my stomach (or cantaloupe according to BabyCenter.com) is really beginning to take it’s toll on my body. Forget the walking, all I can do is waddle around and make sure I have a glass of water nearby to quench my thirst!
